04.02.25
By Lisa Major
As an event sponsor, your brand has the opportunity to engage with hundreds, if not thousands, of people in an impactful and meaningful way. Since ROI should be measured in more ways than the number of eyeballs seeing your logo, sponsorship activations have become the norm and the expectation of consumers attending large-scale events as an added “bonus” to their ticket price. However, with a multitude of brands competing for the same audience’s attention, the goal to stand out becomes more difficult. Here are three activation ideas that will make it easier for consumers to connect to your brand at popular events.
Brands that sponsor multiple events might be tempted to rinse and repeat their activation strategy. While that is smart in some respects, the psychological draw to something you can’t get, see, or experience anywhere else is a much stronger play. It is also important to remember that the audience you are after was drawn to the event first, so finding creative ways to connect to the spirit and energy of the environment will amplify your brand’s message in a one-of-a-kind way. Whether it’s exclusive co-branded swag or a one-time-only sampling opportunity, your consumers will seek you out to be a part of something truly unique.
Event organizers can’t accomplish all things for all people, which is exactly why they solicit sponsors to add the value they cannot. So, start with what your brand offers consumers, and find opportunities to meet that need at an event – even if it’s unexpected. Take, for example, Pringles, which built a branded playground for festivalgoers in 2023. A swing set made in the form of the iconic stackable chip tapped into the fun audiences were looking for in the total experience.
Your best customers are often the ones you don’t have yet, but a surefire way to attract new customers is to leverage the ones you do have. For your next sponsorship activation, consider marketing to your current consumer base to let them know what to expect and offer an exclusive reward or experience just for them. But, add on an incentive to bring a friend who may not have the same awareness of the brand. At the activation, having trained brand ambassadors on hand to specifically connect with these “plus ones” and build brand affinity on-site is a great way to secure additional ROI for the sponsorship.
The benefit of event sponsorship activations is the guaranteed reach your brand will receive. However, with any marketing channel, increasing audience reach is just the first of many steps to building affinity, loyalty, and repeat purchasing. How your brand engages with the increased exposure is the most important factor to a strong ROI. And having the right people in place to connect with the audience is just as important as the activation itself.
ATN Event Staffing is your partner in staffing top-tier sponsorship activations and experiential marketing events. Our expertise makes the hiring process of event teams or brand ambassadors a seamless part of your planning process, earning you positive brand engagements and connections. Our clients look to us for local, regional, and national events, where we’ve provided experiential professionals for over two decades!
